“If I could make films in and around Manhasset for the rest of my life, I would,” stated Manhasset film director and resident David Paterson. Paterson’s latest film, The Great Gilly Hopkins, opens in theaters across the nation on Oct. 7.
The film stars an impressive cast of Kathy Bates, Glenn Close, Octavia Spencer, Julia Stiles and Billy Magnussen (who grew up in Woodhaven). The film is based upon the award-winning children’s novel written by his mother, Katherine Paterson. He adapted his mother’s novel, The Bridge To Terabithia, into the 2007 Disney hit.
Although The Great Gilly Hopkins is set in the Washington, DC, area, filming primarily took place in Queens and Long Island. (A pivotal scene was shot at Republic Airport, which doubled as a train station). In addition to using his son Decker for an extra, Paterson hired Manhasset resident Chris Barnes, a much in-demand stunt coordinator, who used several local children as “stunt doubles” and stunt actors which included Courtney Damico and Gavin and Spencer Barnes.
This is not Paterson’s first film to be shot on Long Island; his Sundance film, Love, Ludlow, was shot almost entirely in Manhasset and Open Air, his award-winning short film, starring Lynn Cohen, was also shot here.
Although a comedy, Paterson feels the movie addresses some real issues not necessarily known to Long Island audiences about the foster care system. “The main character, Gilly, is a foster child who has been shuttled from foster home to foster home; in the U.S. there are over 400,000 foster children, nearly 2,000 on Long Island alone.”
The Great Gilly Hopkins opens in theaters in New York City and throughout the country but will also be available on demand the same day in nearly 100 million homes throughout the U.S., including his own hometown of Manhasset.
“If you can’t see it in the theater, it’s a great weekend movie for the family to pop the corn and watch in their own home, just as folks are also seeing it in theaters, a win/win for all.” Paterson assures.
